Mother City Queer Project, Cape Town

Once summer arrives in Cape Town, it’s also time for the vibrant annual Mother City Queer Project (MCQP).

This event is said to be one of the biggest party events of the year and it takes place around mid December – every year. What better place to hold this extraordinary fancy-dress extravaganza than in the gay capital city of Africa, Cape Town.

The MCQP first launched in 1994, simultaneously to our country’s first democratic elections and was intended to symbolise our freedom and equality despite our sexual differences.

The best part is that this event is open to everyone and anybody who enjoys a good night’s party. You will however need to conform to the strict no-costume, no entry policy. Although acquiring your costume can be as much fun as the event itself. Months of planning goes into the selection of some of these amazing costumes and for many this can break or make their MCQP experience.

“…it has a peaceful, chilled and anything-goes vibe.”

There is a different theme for each year and some of the past themes have included, ’It’s a circus’, ’Lights, camera, action’, ‘Farm Fresh’, ’Kitsch Kitchen’ and ’Fairytale Fantasy’. If it’s your first-time as an attendee, you’ll be mesmerised by the amount of effort that goes into everyone’s costumes. You should also take into consideration that this party goes on all night, so it’s best to pace yourself.

The MCQP has been held at various venues over the years. The most memorable include the Cape of Good Hope Castle, Ratanga Junction and the new stadium that was built in 2010 for the Soccer World Cup.

Everyone should at least experience the MCQP once and there are many people who have attended every single one. People have travelled from all over the world to attend, and if you stroll around Green Point the afternoon before or the morning after, you will get to see who is going or who has been. Many of the party-goers have compared the MCQP with similar events held in San Francisco or Sydney.